Void's Psionics

by H. Lee Morgan, Jr

  Jessica and Andrea peeked over the edge and Jessica cradled a broken arm from the tumble down the stairs. Andrea bled from a head wound before they managed to stop rolling. The gash making it look worse than it actually was. Jessica fought the pain with barely held back tears, but Andrea said “Is it over?”

  The hopelessness in Sparky’s gaze and the shudder he gave spoke volumes, but it was Steven who assumed command of the situation. “We’re leaving. It’s too dangerous to linger if none of us can see our enemy. Ladies, pack your things and get moving. Where is Mr. Wrench?”

  “Here.” Jacob crawled out from a set of benches holding a stump of a leg he had recently cauterized with his laser. “They took me before the attack when no one was looking… help…”

  Rose extended her four wings and flew right over and lowered her neck. “Take hold. I will carry you.” Jacob struggled with the pack weighing him down, but managed to throw an arm across her strong, scaly neck and managed to situate himself at the base of her neck.

  “Did they say what they want?”

  “Left me alive to give the captain this.” Jacob held up a video crystal. “Then cut off my damn leg and tossed me my pen to stop the bleeding. I couldn’t even yell to warn you.”

  “You live. Can’t say the same for Deegen or Bell.” The emotion in Steven’s voice was raw. “Slit his throat and killed her in the most dishonorable way possible. I’ll levitate him, but we are going to the ships immediately.” Tapping his ear he said “Oliver, Brother, crash the interview. I’ll take the wounded to a med center then go back to the ship. We’ll have investigators find what they can on the man you cut down… Brother!”

  Oliver yelled “Shut up. I’m going. I expect you are coming with me to hunt my woman down.”

  “Goes without saying. They killed our brother and sister. I won’t stop till I see the life leave their eyes.”

  “So Deegen and Bell didn’t make it?” sadness choked Oliver as he now experienced the death of someone close, someone he could call friend. It added more weight to his chest.

  “No, Brother, they’re gone. Make haste. Grieve for our fallen brother later. Life matters and right now Renee is getting further away. Get the captain to the ship so we can move with all haste, but not go off reckless.” Steven said as he lifted a hand over the corpses, placing Bell curled up on Deegen’s chest and lifting together as all true partners who die together. They moved in behind, Jessica sobbing as she began to realize Renee was missing.

  Oliver reentered the atmosphere, but aimed not for Loke, but for the city of Warren. He found the Dorgenox floating in the city’s lake, anchors down to not disturb too much as the starship could do serious damage in shallow water. He aimed the Flare for the university the conference was being held at. Curious people were already out on the pathways looking for firsthand views of the historic revelation.

  Before reaching ten kilometers a deep male voice commanded “Unauthorized fighter, you are in restricted airspace for the duration of the conference. Change course or be fired upon. You have ten seconds to comply.”

  A dozen military fighters converged on him. I don’t have time for this shit. Rather than slow down and turn, he sped up and flipped the Flare in unparalleled maneuvers the Marines had never seen done. They hadn’t a chance in hell to target let alone gamble that even random firing would score a lucky hit.

  Next thing they knew the ship had landed and Marines posted to keep the peace opened fire, but Oliver jumped out and moved too fast for them to keep track. Blaster fire could be heard inside the expansive room filled with top scientists and reporters. Oliver though didn’t draw his sword or shield. His speed though let him knock out highly trained Marines before they could blink.

  On stage Jake Dorgen stood and his booming voice didn’t require enhancement. “I’ll take care of this.” But as the burly Scotsman took a single step the large double doors were kicked in by the armored body of a Marine sailing through the air by a kick to the chest from Oliver who came in covered in reflective silver coloring his battle armor. “Lad, What…”

  The crowd gasped as they had never seen a man run so fast. He moved more like a blur. One moment he was on the back end of the room and he next he was on stage. “She’s been kidnapped. Deegen and Bell are dead.”

  The rage from Oliver was equaled by her giant of a father. “WHAT!”

  Oliver noticed Stone instantly go livid along with Satellite the falcon on his shoulder standing with Stephanie and two other crew members. Behind was the fifty three canisters found and being scanned by dozens of orbs. “We need to move. Time is our enemy.”

  Despite how Jake’s face went red as his hair and the throbbing vein in his head to watch out for pulsed he turned to the crowd still recording for the scientific community as well as GNN and other news stations. “The interview is over, Lads. Someone just stole me daughter from me. I’m coming for blood. Whoever ye are, I hope ye be watching. Ye’ve just pissed off the pirate king and I’ll have yer heads.” His eyes blazed green with power unmatched in a millennia. “Give her back and flee for yer miserable lives. If I have to chase ye, ye will die fer this. To everyone else, I leave these canisters as agreed by Andrea Loke to distribute for further study. Now get yer arse moving, Lad. Stone, go with the lad and get to the ship pronto.” Jake touched his ear. “First Mate Krabble, we’re leaving soon. Get me ship ready.”

  “Already on it, Captain. We’ll raise anchor in fifteen minutes max.”

  “Lad, use the com to tell me the situation.” Jake ordered in Oliver’s ear as he ran out, Stone following with Satellite flying overhead.

  Marines were sill unconscious, but fighters seemed to have been ordered to stand down as the ships we just beginning to remove their pointed weapons off him and the Flare. Oliver began recounting events as he jumped in the pilot’s seat with Stone jumping in behind with the falcon already on the back seat as the top lowered. He spoke of all he knew and it helped distract his unbridled anger. The line to the Dorgenox was short lived when Jake said “One moment, Lad. Steven is trying to speak.” He went quiet for over a minute before being reconnected to the captain. “Lad, alter course. Drop Stone to fly Deegen’s fighter. I can’t leave it. Steven is with the wounded right now being patched up. Ye need to do this and transfer data of the ship’s recording of in which direction they jumped into FTL.”

  Taking those orders weren’t easy, but it would still be minutes before the ship could lift off. He pressed a few buttons and flashed the Flare’s video recordings to the main starship while going back to the Tower of Loke. For another three minutes Oliver finished recent events. “Then ye need to dock in space. I won’t wait planet-side. “Got it?”

  “Aye aye.” Oliver said and the coms went down.

  Behind Stone at last spoke “So our brother had his throat slit by Phantoms? And more than the four you and Ms. Void took care of?”

  “At least a dozen more. They were highly skilled and well equipped. I didn’t know Deegen or Bell as long as you, but I already miss them. I’m sad they didn’t die at least in a good fight. They were murdered… but why kidnap my woman.”

  “Sounds to me like that was their plan all along and to leave no witnesses… hold on.” Stone then said “Yes, Brother, Oliver has told me. We are on the way to pick up his fighter… Left him alive you say… Probably won’t react to anyone other than the captain…” His tone turned colder than ice. “You best believe it. They killed our brother and sister. They. Will. Suffer.” He clipped.

  Landing was short as Stone jumped down and gained access to the other fighter to get in and take off with all haste.

  The Dorgenox was already waiting at the area where the enemy ship had gone into FTL early to avoid capture. Oliver let Stone dock first and as Oliver was coming in he noticed around the River Skipper rather crowded. Stephanie was fussing over Jessica with an arm in a sling right beside a naturally short woman hovering over a one legged Jacob Wrench. Jake stood over talking with Steven, Sparky, Rose and
Jacob who’s nub of a thigh was covered in healing gauze, obviously numbed of pain to talk. As soon as he touched down he was there beside Stone looking over the sheet covering Deegen and Bell.

  Noise dropped with their arrival and Jake tapped his ear. “Abdul, any likely prospects?”

  “Sir, sad news, at the same time as Oliver saw them go into FTL there was another signature detected by the space authority followed my another in the same region not one minute later. They jumped too soon in the gravity well of Havannah, but their exit signature is identical to reports Oliver scanned. They moved further in the solar system before going elsewhere. Without a direction, we cannot follow. These bastards knew what they were doing so we’d lose their trail. I’d even wager they will Jump from other locations to confuse us.”

  “Damn it!!!” Jake punched the wall hard enough to split open his knuckles.

  “What!” Oliver was on his feet, his helmet retracting to show the dry tear stains that had been shed. “What happened.”

  “The dogs covered their trail, Lad. They moved to the outer solar system to go elsewhere.” He held his bleeding hand, the vein at the temple still pulsing. “Without a direction recorded from behind, we cannot make a probability of what planets that ship can travel to. It’s the smallest craft I’ve ever seen able to slip into FTL, but its range will be limited to this galaxy. That just narrows it down to a hundred billion system if they don’t meet up with a long range craft. Now that they are gone, I must see to their demands.” He held out the crystal given to Jacob from the one who severed the leg.

  “Captain, I’m about to pass out, can I…”

  “Aye, ye did yer best. Take care of him, Lass.” The woman nodded and helped bring Jacob to the elevator to leave.

  “Andrea, what are ye doing here?” Oliver said as he noticed yellow adhesive covering a wound on her forehead.

  “I’m coming. I just can’t sit around knowing my ex-girlfriend’s daughter is missing. She saved us at her own expense. There is no way I can face a Phantom and she knew it. They would have killed me and I’m going to do anything I can to get her back.”

  “Still little stubborn Andrea.”

  “Tease me later, Jake.” Her gaze was sharp rather than eccentric and bubbly. “I’m sore, tired and scared. Play the damn recording.”

  “Hold on.” Jessica said and struggled closer. “Brother, be sure to save it to your chip, but not directly. It could have a chip breaker virus. We can do a breakdown analysis to see if we can track down the source. While my arm was set I found it was manufactured by a completely untraceable Galicom processor. They used the basic package creator and filled it with a single function that is voice commanded.”

  “Brother?” Andrea asked. “You didn’t tell me you have a sister?”

  “We haven’t spoken in a century, woman… bah, we will discuss it later.” Jake moved around and everyone stepped back as he placed the small disc shard on the deck. “Activate.” The command was accepted and a glowing, flat circle appeared with a written message.

  ‘Jake Dorgen,

  We have your daughter, Renee Dorgen. Do not try to follow. We will tell you our exact location of where she will be held. Bring 645,883,201,776, 932 credits to coordinates 345620083X, 462991619Y, 003221881Z in the time of one full standard year starting from this day to trade for the life of your daughter.

  Do not attempt rescue. You know this space and even if you call all your ships, it will do you no good.

  Signed,

  The High Chairman’

  The vein had pulsed so badly Jake turned to the still raised docking door and threw a hand out to unleash a psionic stream that was as tall as himself and packed so much power it could blow apart an entire moon. The aim thankfully was out in empty space, firing in a near straight line. His beard and hair unraveled to fly wild as he yelled in complete outrage. The amount of power had everyone staggering away as it could have ripped the ship completely apart without question. His eyes burned murderous green. The energy was hot and hair stood on end. He poured it all into the stream. Anger, hate, hopelessness. Put it all in till he was empty, which took a couple minutes. Enough to get everyone on the other side of the deck.

  Jake Dorgen was utterly spent as he dropped to his knees and hands to beat his head on the ground a couple times and leave it there. It was hardly comical that the claymore sheathed across his back slid out onto the ground.

  Seeing the giant cry was heartbreaking.

  First to move was Andrea Loke and she came over to kneel by his head. “That is a lot of credits. I have sixteen million in my savings. You can have it all, Handsome. It won’t be much to the nearly six hundred and forty six trillion, but…”

  “Ye’ve always been a kindhearted lass, Andrea, but I cannot ask it of ye.”

  “Would it make a difference if I said yes? I never told you ‘no’ you know. You know the old saying: Better late than never.” She smiled softly and though he was gargantuan compared to her, her small hands held his face up by his bearded cheek.

  “Aye, Lass, but I can’t accept it. That bastard somehow got hold of me finances. That is the exact amount I’ve got to me name… scattered around.”

  “Then pick yourself up, dust yourself off and do it. We both know credits never mattered to you. I’m now old enough to see why you were like that. I just need access to the terran network to transfer my funds to the Dorgenox. Every little bit will help. Why don’t you give it as a sign of good faith to those horrible people and tell them to keep it so they don’t send pieces of her to you… make sure they know she is bonded to that Drake… if I assume correctly. His reactions are out of character for his kind and they aren’t.”

  “Aye, she and Sparky are bonded as mount and rider.”

  “Someone tell me what the hell is going on? If you know where she is why are we still here! Someone tell me!” Oliver shook badly, ready to snap. Even without his front teeth, he was barely holding onto reason.

  “Brother…”

  “No, Steven, it would be better if I explain.” Sparky swung his head around and moved so he and Oliver were face to face. Sparky’s hiss rattled in a barely controlled growl and his thoughts were tainted emotion he could not control or hide. “Those coordinates are in the heart of Merc space where the Empire holds no jurisdiction. They are home to some of the most ruthless mercenaries that fled the Empire’s long reach. Only the desperate or evil hire them. Jake has been a thorn in their side for centuries, but they are no pushover. Kidnapping, rape, murder, assassination is just a kind example of what they live for. They are the absolute worst of humanity and those coordinates are of their only known fortress that is on par with Earth and Verard’s in military defense. There are other worlds, but that one is run by an unknown figurehead called the ‘High Chairman’. Orbital and surface defenses would shred an entire armada into baser particles or at best, tiny chunks.”

  “Then why trust them?” Oliver’s shoulders slumped as her loss was finally sinking in.

  “Because the only law they seem to hold to is business transactions. Their involvement is proof someone with deep pockets hired them to kidnap my partner.” Sparky blinked and breathed. “They do anything for money if it is too good enough to refuse. They kill, rape and murder only on this chairman’s command. All known kidnappings have pieces of the victim sent to the person responsible for paying the ransom and are kept alive in a dark hole, fed and watered till money is paid. When paid in full, the victim is returned immediately. Most importantly alive. That” he pointed a claw to the message crystal disc. “is the official method they use for ransom.”

  “Then why don’t we go after the bastards who hired them?”

  “If ye know who they are, Lad, I’m all ears.” Jake said, sheathing his sword, but standing again at least. His hair was a mess, but the fire was back in his green eyes.

  “Renee’s kidnapping was only part of the plan.” Rose could no longer keep it to herself as she had all eyes turn upon her.

 
“What do ye know?” Jake asked, giving her a piercing look.

  Rose for her part did not cower. “We have unknowingly had a betrayer in our midst.”

  “Who? Point me in the right direction.”

  “The dead cannot speak.” She turned her gaze at the covered Bell and Deegen. “Deegen has been plotting for the entire seventeen months aboard. With his dying moments he opened himself to me.”

  “HE WAS NO TRAITOR!” Steven yelled in angry denial. “No Hunter will betray his duty.”

  “See now what he showed me in his last moments. Close your eyes.” Every person did exactly that.

  Images filled their mind to show Deegen thirty years ago happy as could be holding a newborn babe. Within the memory they all knew the child was named Violet and was the first child he was able to be there for the birth. Deegen’s other children didn’t know him as he loved fighting on the front lines with Bell for company, but Violet was different. It was the only child he truly claimed was his. Looking at her changed the man deeply. He wanted to be there for her unlike his children who only knew him by name or reputation.

  Six months later Violet’s mother and Deegen’s mate died in action, but aside from Bell, Deegen had only loved his little girl.

  He raised her as a warrior and year after year she had made his pride as a father swell more and more. She had taken after him and was one of the youngest girls to pass her trial to become a Class One Hunter like himself. Like her father she had a wolf companion and was one of Bell’s most pride filling pups. He was a strong alpha male and their connection made sure they loved their children more than any other.

  Violet was sent to the front lines like all Hunters for thirty years mandatory and Deegen also returned to it, but was sent to a different cruiser when the most devastating news was brought to him one day years later.

  Violet and her partner was killed in combat by a Viper which managed to strike from underground during the mission.

  The news broke Deegen, that he wasn’t there to protect his child and Bell howled a lament for her pup. They grieved by taking on suicidal missions to follow them honorably, but no Beast could kill them and no Keptl could stand against them. They were a ruthless team seeking honorable death to join their young after this life.